[by analogy with George Orwell's ‘thought police’] A
mythical team of Gestapo-like storm troopers that might burst into one's
office and arrest one for violating programming style rules. May be used
either seriously, to underline a claim that a particular style violation is
dangerous, or ironically, to suggest that the practice under discussion is
condemned mainly by anal-retentive weenies.
“Dike out that goto or the code police will get you!” The
ironic usage is perhaps more common.